Campus police have been unable to find traps a Vancouver woman found off the Washington State University Vancouver trail last week, one of which apparently injured her dog.
Kaitlin Lame of Vancouver said in a Facebook post that she was walking her dog, Piper, down one of the trails around campus Wednesday, and Piper was off playing in the brush.
Suddenly, Lame heard a loud yelp from Piper, who came running back with blood coming from her mouth.
Lame said she figured Piper found some barbed wire, but she went back the next day out of curiosity.
While searching, she walked right over an animal trap. Her other dog Sam set it off by dislodging a stick. Lame said she picked up a big stick, started poking around and set off three others.
They were only 10 feet off the trail, she said. After she found a path back to the trail, she contacted campus police.
University spokeswoman Brenda Alling said campus police have been unable to find any traps as of Monday.
It’s possible, she said, the traps may be on an adjacent property, but the school intends to find and deal with whatever hazard may be out there regardless.
In an email, Lame said it’s understandable they haven’t been found: The campus is about 350 acres. If none of the traps are found by Wednesday, she plans on heading out to help.
Piper, however, is doing well. Lame said the dog is on medication and her tongue is mangled, but she’s healing well.
Lame still plans on using the trail again.
“I will not be letting my dogs off leash anymore out there,” she added.
